Lakisha RESTORED in Washington, D.C.

“Restoration in D.C.”

My name is Lakisha and I am from Washington, D.C. I had been married for 9 years as of March 2011, when I became part of a marriage group on Facebook with several other women in marriage crisis and they sent me the book, “How God Can and Will Restore Your Marriage.” Soon afterwards, at the end of February 2011, I filled out a Marriage Evaluation Questionnaire.

My restoration journey began after seven years of marriage when I had gotten pregnant with our second child and my husband got bit by what I call “the lust bug.” Every woman (or any activities involving women) caught his attention. He stepped out on me several times, disrespected me and was very abusive.

At the end of the seven years, when he decided he needed to treat me better and our three kids, he found out he had another child out of wedlock. He went to court for paternity for this child (who was born on my birthday).

During this trial, the Lord taught me to focus on GOD and work on myself. Stop seeing my husband’s sins and faults and get myself together to be a better wife, mother and servant of God. The transition was not easy and accepting that there was a possibility of another child out there that was not ours together made it worse.

I struggled with accepting that this child was his, and agreed we would have to take custody of her in order to keep her out the CPS system. I prayed and cried and prayed and cried a lot!! I thought this was God’s sign to run for the hills. But, after much prayer, depression and meditation, I realized it wasn't. Instead, God wanted to use me as an example of being steadfast and patient in a difficult situation like this, that many other women may also have to go through.

Michelle: Lakisha, like all women who have experienced a restored marriage, stopped focusing on her husband and his faults and submitted herself to God so that He could do the changing and refining that needed to be done in her. Take notice that Lakisha didn’t “run” from her problems but instead she chose to “embrace” them and took hold of God’s promise and believed that “NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD.” Lakisha realized and trusted that God was taking her through what the world would call a “hopeless” situation so that her testimony would be a blessing for others that would come after her.

The Lord showed me that He had to break me down to use me. I had to know the hurt to help others to heal. It also helped me appreciate my husband and my marriage!

Michelle: Lakisha’s brokenness was the very thing that God used to bring wholeness to her life again. Just like the Psalmist says, “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Ps. 51:17 (NIV)

The turning point came as I stayed in my Bible. It encouraged me to keep up the fight and I started to die to self and let God take care of everything. It was extremely hard and heart wrenching at times, but once I began to seek the Lord and put Him first (at all times)— the man who treated me so badly became the man I needed. God changed him and he became so patient and loving and began to become the leader and a blessing to his family.

Michelle: By putting God first in everything, Lakisha said that her husband became the godly man she needed him to be. Again Lakisha trusted God and His word, “For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife...” 1 Corinthians 7:14 (NIV)

The Lord not only found me fit to be the mother for my stepdaughter (who we gained custody of), but I got pregnant again with our last child weeks after we found out about my new step-daughter.

During this journey, I realized that no matter who or what, God’s Word is what matters and we each need to fight the good fight to be the example of God's love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.